Enhanced Li- and Na-storage in Sb-Graphene nanocomposite anodes

• Antimony-graphene nanocomposite (Sb-GNP) was prepared by a wet-chemical approach.
• Sb-GNP exhibits the well-dispersed Sb nanoparticles anchored on the graphenes.
• Sb-GNP shows highly reversible capacities in both Li- and Na-storage.

Antimony-graphene nanocomposite (Sb-GNP) was prepared from commercially available graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) by a simple wet-chemical route at room temperature, and systematically investigated as an anode material for both lithium- and sodium-ion batteries (LIBs and NIBs). The microstructural features of Sb-GNP, and of pure Sb nanoparticles prepared without addition of GNPs, were characterized using X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The successful formation of a nanocomposite structure was observed for Sb-GNP; the Sb nanoparticles are well dispersed and anchored on graphene nanoplatelets without significant aggregation of Sb nanoparticles, in contrast to the pure Sb nanoparticles. Furthermore, galvanostatic studies revealed that Sb-GNP displays better Li- and Na-storage performance than the pure Sb nanoparticles when utilized as an anode material. The enhanced electrochemical performance can be attributed to the effects of nanocomposite formation with GNPs.

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